94 
SOUTH-AFRICAN BUTTERFLIES. 
differs in its heavier structure generally (especially in the bulk of the 
thorax), acute fore-wings, slight projection of hind-wings about anal 
angle, and possession of three tufts of hairs on the hind-margin of the 
hind-wings. In form and in under-side pattern Lycccnestlics bears 
much likeness to Deudorix^ but wants the anal-angular lobe and 
linear tail on the hind-wings, and has longer palpi (especially in the 
Most of the species exhibit on the upper side various tints of 
violaceous or purple, much reduced or absent in the duller females, but 
some of the West- African forms {Leptines^ Luzoncs, and Lachares^ of 
Hewitson) present, instead of any shade of those colours, a large spot 
of orange-yellow in one or both wings. The under side in these and 
some other West-African species more resembles that of the Telicanus 
group of Lycxna. 
Eighteen of the twenty - six known species are African, three 
Indian, and two Austro-Malayan. The locality Cayenne," recorded 
by Butler (Gat. Fah. Lep.^ p. i88) for L. Moncus (Fab.), requires 
confirmation. Six species have been discovered to inhabit Southern 
Africa ; and of these three (AmaraJi, Zarydas, and Sylvanus) are 
widely spread over both African Tropics, one {Otacilid) extends into 
the Southern Tropical region, and two {Liodes and Livida) appear to 
be peculiar to South Africa. L. Amarah is very different from the 
rest in the singular glittering grey of its upper side ; Larydas^ 
Sylvanus, and Liodes all have in the $ an upper side of glossy dark- 
purple, and in the $ a discal space of pale violaceous and whitish 
marked with fuscous spots ; Otacilia has a rather bright violaceous 
field in the replaced by cupreous-brown in the $ ; and Livida is in 
both sexes dull shining ochreous-grey faintly shot with bluish. 
All the six species are found on the eastern side of South Africa, 
but only four of them have been met with in the Cape Colony, and of 
these but two {Liodes, Hewits., and Otacilia, Trim.) reach the western 
districts. LarydaSy Cram., and Sylvanus, Dru., have not occurred to 
the south and west of Natal, but Amarah, Guer., extends to Grahams- 
town, and Livida, Trim., seems hitherto to have been taken only near 
that place and in some of the adjacent eastern districts. 
I have not seen living Sylvanus or Larydas, but have captured the 
other species, and found all the four to be very active, alert, little butter- 
flies, resembling altogether in motion and habits the well-known Thecla 
group in Europe. They visit flowers freely, and are also much given 
to basking in the sunshine on the leaves of bushes or young trees. 
167. (1.) Lyc8Gnesthes Amarah, (Guerin). 
9 Polyommafus Amarah, Guer., Lefebv. Voy. Abyss., vi. p. 384, pi. 11, ff. 
5, 6 (1847). 
9 Ljjccena Amarah, Wallgrn., Lep. Rhop. Caffr. (K. Sv. Vet.-AkacL Handl., 
1857)? P- 40- 
